The present invention relates generally to hand-held instruments and tools. In preferred forms, the present invention relates to hand-held surgical instruments, especially those usefully employed for ophthalmic surgical procedures.
Ophthalmic surgical procedures require the use of miniaturized instruments such as, for example, forceps, scissors and the like in order to allow the surgeon to operate on and within a patient""s eye. One well known instrument that is used for such ophthalmic surgical procedures is the so-called Sutherland-type instrument commercially available from Grieshaber and Co., Inc. The Sutherland-type instrument has a pen-like handle and uses a lever as an actuator for actuating mechanically operable spring-loaded tools, such as forceps, scissors, knives and the like which are threaded or otherwise operably connected to the distal end of the handle.
Recently, improvements to such Sutherland-type instruments have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,918 (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference). In general, the improvements proposed by the ""918 Patent include providing a circumferentially arranged series of lever-like triggers which are pivotal in response to a radial force being applied thereto. Radially inward and outward pivotal movements of one trigger will, in turn, be converted respectively into rightward and leftward translation of the trigger retainer and is accompanied by like simultaneous movement of all the other triggers. Thus, any working tool attached operable to the trigger retainer will likewise translate rightward and leftward therewith.
The present invention is directed to further improvements in surgical instruments of the Sutherland-type. In this regard, the present invention broadly is directed to hand-held instruments which may be employed to actuate a distally mounted tool by application of radial force about the instrument circumference (i.e., omni-actuatable). In preferred forms, the present invention is embodied in hand-held instruments having a handle which includes an actuator assembly for actuating a tool, wherein the actuator assembly has a generally V-shaped circumferential channel in which an actuator band is seated. A slide ring assembly is provided which defines the generally V-shaped circumferential channel and has at least one slide ring mounted for longitudinal movements relative to the handle.
The actuator band is radially flexible. Thus, in response to compressive force, the actuator band seated within the generally V-shaped channel will be flexed radially inwardly to thereby move the slide ring longitudinally. The slide ring, in turn, coacts operatively with the distally mounted tool (e.g., through a longitudinally slidable actuator pin). Radial motion of the actuator band is thereby translated into longitudinal motion of the slide ring, which longitudinal motion is then employed to actuate the tool.
These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent after careful consideration is given to the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof.